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Maha ATS questions 112 people over alleged links with Pakistan-based gangster, conducts statewide searches

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Mumbai, July 10: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has launched a major statewide operation to investigate alleged contacts between individuals in the state and Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti, with the agency questioning 112 people identified so far in connection with the case.

According to an official statement by the Maharashtra ATS, teams from all 14 ATS units across the state began the action at around 7 a.m. on Friday. The teams have been visiting the locations of individuals who were allegedly in contact with Bhatti through social media platforms and are questioning them as part of the ongoing investigation.

The ATS said that several locations across Maharashtra are being searched as part of the operation. Searches and enquiries are underway in areas including Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira Road, Sangli, Satara and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, among other places.

The agency is examining possible links between the identified individuals and Shahzad Bhatti, who is suspected of allegedly using social media platforms to influence or encourage young people towards anti-national activities. Based on these inputs, the ATS initiated the statewide action to verify the nature of the alleged contacts and gather further information.

The agency is also collecting details related to their communication patterns, online interactions and any possible association with the Pakistan-based gangster.

The ATS has clarified that the investigation is currently underway and further action will be taken based on the findings of the enquiry.

Since the year 2025, the police have busted nine modules handled by Pakistani national Shahzad Bhatti.

This man, who was once a social media influencer has become the latest headache for the security agencies and would continue to remain for some more time as Bhatti is waiting for complacency to set in so that he can strike India.

Bhatti has emerged as the key figure in the modules that have been busted by the police.

While four separate modules relating to Bhatti have been busted by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), five were shut down by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that a clear pattern has been emerging and the Indian agencies are battling a new type of threat. Usually when nine modules are busted back-to-back by specialised agencies, the ones who are in charge tend to pull back.

Crime

12 injured in attack on Dalit family in Patna, two critical

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At least 12 members of a Dalit family were injured, including two who suffered stab wounds, in an alleged attack following a dispute during an idol immersion procession in Bihar’s Phulwari Sharif area, police said on Thursday.

The incident took place in the Ishopur locality, where a group of around 25 people, allegedly led by Sanjay Yadav, entered the house of Ramkumar Chaudhary and attacked family members with sticks, clubs and knives.

The condition of Ramkumar Chaudhary and Pankaj Kumar was reported to be critical and both are undergoing treatment at AIIMS, Patna.

The other injured were identified as Aman, Riya Kumari, Bahadur Chaudhary, Lalmuni Devi, Pankaj Chaudhary, Ankit, Aarti Devi, Ajay Chaudhary, Deepak and Anil. They were taken to hospitals for treatment.

A video purportedly showing the assault, including the use of knives on the street, has also surfaced.

However, its authenticity and the complete sequence of events are yet to be established through an investigation.

According to local residents, police personnel from the nearby Ishopur police outpost reached the spot after hearing the commotion and attempted to intervene.

The officers were allegedly attacked by the assailants, leaving several police personnel injured.

Additional police forces were subsequently deployed, and the situation was brought under control.

The victims alleged that the attack stemmed from a longstanding dispute between the two families and claimed that similar incidents had occurred in the past.

However, the precise cause of the dispute and the circumstances leading to Thursday’s violence have not been officially established.

Police have detained two people in connection with the incident, while efforts are underway to trace other suspects.

Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the clash, the alleged assault on the family and the reported attack on police personnel.

Tension continued to prevail in the locality following the incident, while the injured remained under medical care and police pursued further legal action.

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Crime

Jantar Mantar protest: Saurav Das, Ranka, Shinde seek more time to appear before police

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Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde have sought more time to appear before the Delhi Police Crime Branch for questioning.

Das, Ranka, and Shinde were asked to appear before the Delhi Police Crime Branch at its office in Rajouri Garden at noon on Thursday. However, they requested more time from the Delhi Police.

The police will now issue fresh summons to them.

This comes a day after Das and Ranka were released from Tihar Jail following a week in judicial custody.

Earlier this week, Delhi Police transferred protest cases against the CJP leaders to the Crime Branch.

The cases are in connection with the incident on October 13, when Das, Ranka and Shinde, along with 11 others, trespassed into Jantar Mantar, which has been de-notified as the designated protesting site.

All were detained by the Delhi Police. While Shinde was released on bail bond, Das and Ranka remained in judicial custody for a week.

The CJP members were protesting against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Das and Ranka were released on Wednesday after submitting written undertakings before a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM), assuring that they would maintain peace and refrain from calling for protests at Jantar Mantar until the site is de-notified in accordance with law.

SEM Ritu Raj directed the release of the two activists after they furnished personal bonds and surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each until the conclusion of the inquiry in connection with the Jantar Mantar trespassing case.

In their written undertakings, both activists promised not to commit any breach of peace and expressed full faith in the judiciary and all its instruments, including the SEM court.

The SEM court observed that the immediate measures required under Section 135(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to prevent a breach of peace or disturbance of public tranquillity could be adequately secured through the execution of bonds, supported by the written undertakings.

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Crime

Delhi Police arrests supplier of banned firecrackers, recovers 57.8 kg from his possession

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The Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of Delhi Police’s North-East District has apprehended a supplier of banned firecrackers and recovered 57.8 kg of the prohibited material from his possession, police said on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Vishal (35), a resident of Ashok Nagar in Delhi, was apprehended on October 21 following a targeted operation to curb the illegal supply of banned firecrackers in the district.

According to the police, the operation was conducted on the directions of senior officers by an AATS team led by Inspector Deepak Pandey, in-charge of AATS, North-East District. Acting on secret information, the team laid a trap in the Ashok Nagar area and apprehended the accused while he was carrying multiple sacks containing banned firecrackers weighing 57.8 kg.

Following the recovery, a case was registered under FIR No. 466/26, dated October 21, at Jyoti Nagar police station under Section 223(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 9B of the Explosives Act. An investigation into the matter has been initiated.

Police said the accused had previously been involved in three criminal cases registered under Sections 188 and 286 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Sections 223(A) and 288 of the BNS, and Sections 115(2), 126(2) and 3(5) of the BNS.

In a separate incident earlier this month, a joint team of the Delhi Police’s Anti-Auto Theft Squad and Harsh Vihar police station uncovered an illegal storage facility for firecrackers in Mandoli village and recovered 567.30 kg of firecrackers and related material. One person was apprehended in connection with the case, police said on Wednesday.

According to the police, the incident came to light on October 12 when a police team conducting area patrol received information about firecrackers being stored at a premises in Mandoli. The information was immediately shared with Harsh Vihar police station, following which a team reached the location.

At the premises, located on the first floor of a house in Gali No. 12, near Government Senior Secondary School in Mandoli, police found a large quantity of firecrackers and materials used in their manufacture stored in cartons and sacks.

The recovered material was inspected, weighed, sampled and seized following the prescribed procedure.

An FIR (No. 315/2026) was subsequently registered at Harsh Vihar police station under Section 288 of the BNS and Section 9B of the Explosives Act, 1884.

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